Clean it out before you move!

Like many of you, along with the excitement of moving comes the inevitable cleaning and packing!  We have all done it before, pack everything up, clean and then load it all over to our new place!

If you follow a few simple steps you can reduce your moving costs and headaches by organizing while you pack.  Lets face it, everything has to come with you, so start with a room and de-clutter!

You should have a central box in every room that you toss things into that don’t fit, have been stuffed at the back of your closet, have not been used in years, or have been boxed up from your last move.

As you reduce what you are actually taking you have a huge savings on time, size of moving van or truck or number of trips across town.

Step 1.  Start small – go room by room.  Get a central box that will end up in donation or consignment.  Don’t be afraid to let things go.  If you have some sentimental items that have been boxed up that you are not sure you are ready to part with (like your kids old art projects), take photos.    Keep a few of your top picks and get them framed to display in your new place.  Get rid of the rest!  Shadow boxes are also great for the few smaller pieces that are collectables – old keys to your first apartment.

Go through your books!  Many people hold on to books for sentimental reasons.  Donate them to a school classroom or put together your collections and donate them to an outreach program.  You may feel better about letting them go if you know they will get into good hands.  There are also a number of organizations that appreciate these treasures – www.booksforsoldiers.com who will manage them for you.

Step 2 – Clean out all the “stuff” under your sinks and in your cabinets.  Old paint and cleaners can be disposed of a local disposal offices.    Once you have de-cluttered, call a local charity and they may even pick them up.  Be sure to identify any of the bigger items you may not bring so that they can be removed before your move.

Step 3 – Cleaning your place.  Once you have de-cluttered and are packing, you can start to do some roll-up-your-sleeves deep cleaning in the places that may need it most.  Around the sink and toilet, vacuum out kitchen and bathroom cabinets and then give them a good wipe down.  Clean all surface areas, baseboards, vents and countertops.

Step 3:  Cleaning your appliances – It is always helpful to spend the dollar and get an oven tray for the bottom of your oven.  Sometimes they even come in packs of 2!  These can be easily removed and discarded and will save you time and energy cleaning out your oven.  If you have a self cleaning oven, run it a couple of days before you leave.  Clean up any spill over food on the range and rinse out the hood filter.  Your fridge should also be cleaned out – washing each bin and wiping down the walls.

Hopefully these tips will help you save some time and effort on moving things that really don’t need to be moved, and get you ready to move into your new home!